The Thirteenth International Symposium on Neural Regeneration is planned for December 9 through 13, 2009 at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California. Similar symposia have been held every two years at the Asilomar Conference Center beginning in 1985. The NIH has continuously co-sponsored the symposia since 1987 with the primary sponsor, the Department of Veterans Affairs. Applications for support of the 2009 conference have been or will be submitted to the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the United Spinal Association, both of whom have co-sponsored the symposium since 1997. The primary purpose of the symposium is to present current work in neural regeneration, especially in those areas of research in which there has been some notable recent progress or in which some particularly interesting issues have been raised. A secondary purpose is to foster an atmosphere that is both stimulating and conducive to a free interchange of ideas among investigators, or between seasoned investigators and students. The longer-range plan is to continue to hold these symposia on alternate years at the same site, and to vary the programs of successive symposia, so that coverage of the broad field of neural regeneration research over a period of years will be as extensive as possible. These International Neural Regeneration Symposia have become established, regularly occurring events with high attendance by both students as well as internationally recognized experts in the field of neural regeneration. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The primary purpose of the symposium is to present cutting-edge developments in the field of neural regeneration. It is unique in that it provides an atmosphere that is both stimulating and conducive to a free interchange of ideas among investigators, or between seasoned investigators and students. The longer-range plan is to continue to hold these symposia on alternate years at the same site, and to vary the programs of successive symposia, so that coverage of the broad field of neural regeneration research over a period of years will be as extensive as possible. The symposium is also unique in its speakers'efforts to bridge clinical and basic research approaches to address the broad spectrum of neural regeneration concerns. Many collaborations for translational studies are formed at this symposium.